8K instead of 4K: Is it worth to wait at Ultra HD?

The 4K Ultra-HD technology has not really come into its own yet, since there are already the first unrecognized that it is overhauled. From all sides one hears that 4K, thus 3,840 x 2,160 pixel resolution, yes only phase one of the Ultra-HD introduction is and that 8K at the end of the way would already flash. In fact, test transmissions now start with a quadruple of 4K (8K = 7.680 x 4.320 pixels), and even the conservative public-law stations have indicated that this is the system where the upgrade is really worth

So, do we buy so-called hyper-modern 4K TVs? Not at all! ARD and ZDF are much more impressed by the fast output in broadcasting and production technology. Who knows that such investment must be depreciated for twenty years, sees that the channels have apparently just bought 720p studios.


In a further ten years, 8K equipment could actually be only slightly more expensive than 4K devices. Against this background, restraint is then sensible. The fact that 8K is recorded and produced, by the way, is not by the way, that is also broadcast in this way. In the case of directing, editing and mastering, there should always be a headroom with resolution, color range and bit depth, so that sections do not appear blurred or colors are at the limit.


The same applies, of course, to the film sector. Here, too, films are to be stored in much better quality than they are shown in the cinema or prepared for the home. News about 8K scanning, new cameras and production methods do not mean that this should reach the end customer so far. And it does not have to.


The pioneer of the ultra-high resolution was the Japanese state station NHK. Already in the year 2000 research on the 4,000-line TV was started, and two years later there were first demos. It was well-balanced, which would be technically feasible and which would make sense. 8K is absolutely fascinating, because you can walk to a few centimeters to a gigantic image, without recognizing pixels. But it was quite clear that this was only for cinema and public viewing, where diagonals beyond the ten meters are common.


Even many years ago, it was found that 4K would not present a recognizable disadvantage for "normal" image diagonals up to 100 inches at a viewing distance of two meters. Rather, research was also carried out on color presentation, contrast and streak formation, and increased requirements for it were defined.


Lesetipp: Ultra-HD Blu-ray - what the new disc brings


And that is precisely what today's 4K is still missing. 4K is not an end-of-line model, but will come in its perfect quality, thus with more colors, brilliance, movement sharpness and recording still. We do not need 8K, but perfect 4K.